The law of the jungle is the only one that matters in the ruthless criminal underworld, and in no place is it more cutthroat than the pages of The Cartel book series.
Penned by the masterful pen and imagination of power couple Ashley and JaQuavis Coleman, The Cartel book series is perhaps one of the last two decades’ most popular urban fiction literary franchises. Dark, gritty, and alluring, it invites readers to explore Miami’s ravenous and unforgiving underbelly and the crime organizations that dwell within.
Ashley and JaQuavis Coleman;Image Source
The Cartel book series is not a warm and cozy story. It conveys a gritty world where sex, romance, drama, violence, betrayal, and deceit coat every page. Nonetheless, its alluring premise and intriguing twists and turns make you wish to know every detail of this gripping, violent world—and the one family that rules it all.
Diamonds are Forever: The Setting
Carter Diamond built his empire from scratch. His millions run the city, and his gold throne sits high above everyone else, built on a tower of blood, guns, and drugs.
His ruthlessness and efficiency make it so that his trial for numerous crimes comes across as a non-issue—he has bribed, blackmailed, and threatened anyone standing in the path of a not-guilty verdict. And he gets it, but it doesn’t stop the bullet from hitting his head.
When The Cartel loses Carter Diamond, they lose their leader, and the family is left to pick up the pieces. But are Diamonds forever?
Loyalty First: The Books
Ashley and JaQuavis originally conceived The Cartel book series as a trilogy. However, the universe soon expanded beyond that and now encompasses seven main books, one sequel, a spin-off, and two prequels.
The Cartel
The first book in the series begins with the end of Carter Diamond at the hands of the rival Haitians. He left behind his wife Taryn, twin sons Mecca and Monroe, youngest daughter Breeze, his empire, and a secret: an illegitimate son.
Young Carter joins the ranks of the Diamond world to help pick up the pieces, only to fall for the beautiful Miamor—unbeknownst to him, the leader of contract killers The Murder Mamas hired to take out the Diamonds one by one.
What follows is a dangerous and steamy tale of forbidden romance, revenge, violence, and sex.
The Cartel 2: Tale of the Murda Mamas
When facing betrayal from within, the Diamonds start to break apart. Miamor’s past and future unravel. Young Carter—pained by Miamor’s absence—must face painful truths. Mecca fights against his demons, and his secrets eat him alive. Breeze struggles to escape a hell unlike any other.
Tale of the Murda Mamas expands upon the eponymous deadly group while continuing the tale left off on a cliffhanger in the first book. The last pages feature a twist bound to shake you to the core.
The Cartel 3: The Last Chapter
The Last Chapter is a thrilling conclusion to the main storyline of The Cartel book series. It puts the Diamond family against their most significant challenges. It leads to a resolution that may not have a happy ending.
Miamor faces certain death and makes her final choices. Carter, who is in federal custody, is no longer there to lead The Cartel. Zyir and Mecca are the sole pillars of the Diamond Empire, but Mecca also has to face the weight of his past and the heavy consequences of his actions. Breeze’s nightmare seems to end, but what awaits her may be worse than expected.
The Cartel 4: Diamonds Are Forever
Twists and turns continue to unravel in the pages of The Cartel book series, and Diamonds are Forever is a title that is both meaningful and full of foreshadowing.
The Cartel empire is shaken to its core when someone from the past returns from the dead. Young Carter faces the ultimate challenge when he is forced to choose with whom his loyalties lie—blood or friendship. Unexpected visitors and shocking arrivals cause friction within the Diamonds, and things will never be the same.
The Cartel 5: La Bella Mafia
The Cartel book series returns on high heels and designer clothes with La Bella Mafia. With the men of the Diamond dynasty out of commission and the federals on their trail, it is up to the ladies to keep the empire standing.
The story focuses on the women in the family and their actions to protect their legacy. As the plane transporting the men falls out from the sky, it is up to Miamor, Breeze, and Leena to take the reign. And as they do, they unravel betrayals unlike any other.
As Miamor said, a woman scorned is the most dangerous thing in the world.
The Cartel 6: The Demise
With an ominous name and a grim foreshadowing, The Demise begins a downward spiral for The Cartel unlike any other before.
The book follows the trials and tabulations of the Diamond Empire as they seek to open a casino in Las Vegas—with devastating results. Soon enough, Young Carter’s past mistakes come to knock on his door with catastrophic results. Now, the Arabian mob is after them, and it will destroy the lives of the remaining family.
Death, life, betrayal, loyalty—which one will prevail? Will the destruction come from within?
The Cartel 7: Illuminati: Roundtable of the Bosses
The Diamonds paid the price of their deeds in blood, and the empire has fallen. Carter has lost it all—his brother is dead, and his wife is facing federal charges. But not all is lost, is it?
This is the last standing of the Diamond family as you know it, the thrilling conclusion to the saga, and a setup for the next generation. Saying anything more risks spoiling the action-filled book.
Long Live The Cartel
Long Live The Cartel is a sequel to the main story of The Cartel book series, and it follows the next Diamond generation. CJ and his cousin Moe are their fathers’ sons—but who do they want to be? Can they resist the allure of Miami’s underground?
The sins of their fathers are heavy. CJ may try to resist, but danger and the streets come knocking on his door. And once a Diamond, always a Diamond.
Money Devils
The Money Devil books are spin-offs of The Cartel book series. They follow the story of the LaCroix Haitian-American sisters, whose plotlines and fates are entangled within the same Cartel universe in ways that will shock more than one reader.
Carter Diamond, Parts One & Two
Before the cartel, he stood alone. Before the gangster king of Miami, he was a locksmith. Carter Diamond, the founder of the Diamond Empire and ruler of The Cartel, built his throne from scratch with his own hands. These two short stories give you a glimpse of how.
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No Snitches: Who Is The Cartel Book Series Meant For?
The Cartel book series is urban literature dealing with the dark and gritty truths of the gangster world, and it calls for an audience that is not uncomfortable with what it entails.
Drug trafficking, murder, betrayal, sexual abuse, and other triggering aspects paint this world as black as it can be. The story showcases the luxury that money can buy but doesn’t neglect to highlight the deadly consequences of a life of crime.
An African-American couple writes the book, and the target audience is clearly within that demographic. The protagonists are overwhelmingly Black and Latino, and the story takes place within an urban reality that caters to their experiences and sensitivities.
Ashley and JaQuavis Coleman, Image Source
Nonetheless, The Cartel book series is a must for any enthusiast of crime urban fiction with intense drama, shocking twists and turns, steamy scenes, and a blatant portrait of money-born tragedy. If you enjoy our book series review check the following ones: Silo book series, Firefly Lane book series, or Stranger Things book series.
